Flames goaltender Devin Cooley is making the rounds again, and his latest line has hockey fans calling him one of the NHL's most entertaining personalities.
Another day, another Cooley interview. The 29-year-old is quickly turning into a fan favorite, and this one is the reason why.
The line that has people talking: "I'm glad I can do something instead of just like play a sport cause that doesn't make a huge impact on humanity."
It lands even better when you look at the résumé. Cooley has two points in 44 career games, both assists, and he's still the one who sounds most at peace with where hockey sits in the grand scheme of things.
The timing is fun too. The Flames beat the Flyers 4-3 in overtime on Sunday night, and Gino Hard reported that Cooley could not join the overtime celebration fast enough.
Cooley was already in the spotlight Friday, when Gino Hard flagged Devin Cooley's reaction to Dustin Wolf's save on Beckett Sennecke's Michigan attempt. He was impressed, and it showed.
Calgary needs the lift. Before Sunday's win, the Flames sat at 8-9-1 with a goal differential of -17, hardly the numbers of a team that gets to relax.
Why Cooley's personality fits this Flames team
Because he's honest, and that goes a long way in a dressing room that has been fighting for consistency. A goalie who can laugh about his own place in the sport is not going to be rattled by a bad night.
The league has no shortage of media-trained answers. Cooley's go the other way, and fans clearly notice.
His crease partner brings his own flavor, too. Dustin Wolf has "Don't think, just play" written on the inside of his blocker, as Dustin Wolf's hidden blocker message showed over the weekend. Calgary's goalies are not short on personality.
I'd put a microphone in front of Cooley as often as the league and the team will allow. Nobody gets paid to be this entertaining, and almost nobody manages it anyway.
The Flames host the Rangers on Wednesday, and the next Cooley soundbite is probably not far behind.
Quick hits
HELLEBUYCK TRADE BUZZ: Rob Reinhart reports that Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has requested a trade, per sources. The team has not confirmed it. If it's true, the Devils have a very big problem.
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ANAHEIM DUCKS: Greg Beacham reports the Ducks are the first team to score at least 5 goals in 8 straight games since the 1988-89 Los Angeles Kings. That is a ridiculous offensive run.
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PITTSBURGH PENGUINS: Cutter Gauthier scored another hat trick, and the Penguins lost 5-2 in Anaheim on Sunday night, in Muse's 100th game. Not the way anyone in Pittsburgh drew it up.
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PHILADELPHIA FLYERS: Kevin Kurz says Daniel Vladar was the only reason the Flyers got a point in their 4-3 overtime loss in Calgary. Without him, it could have been ugly.
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GOALIE UPDATE: Connor Hellebuyck says he's disappointed he won't face the Jets in Winnipeg on Tuesday, David Pagnotta reports. The return to his old building will have to wait.
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